Dr Nathan Ning is a technical writer and editor who has over 15 years of experience editing scientific papers, reports, and theses. He has a PhD in freshwater science from La Trobe University and is a member of Editors Victoria. Dr Ning provides writing, editing, and review services, with a focus on life sciences. He has worked with universities, government agencies, and international journals.

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DR NATHAN NING — Principal technical writer and editor at Fox Writing Services
11 McCulloch Crescent, Wodonga, Victoria 3690 | 0408 491 166 | ABN: 37 658 408 632 |
nning@hotmail.com.au | Fox Writing Services |
http://www.researchgate.net/profile/Nathan_Ning/publications
Profile
Professional technical writer and editor with a proven track record of providing high quality writing
and editing services, in a timely and efficient manner.
Qualifications and affiliations
 PhD (freshwater science), La Trobe University, 2009
 Bachelor of Science (Honours), La Trobe University, 2004
 Member of Editors Victoria
 Freelance academic editor for Oxford University Press
 Member of the Australian Society for Limnology
Services
Technical writing (with an emphasis on plain English), proofreading, copy-editing, and structural
editing. My primary area of experience has been in the life sciences thus far; however, I also deliver
on work required for a wide range of topics where a straightforward approach is desired.
Note: Any editing performed for students prior to their work being assessed will be undertaken in such a way
that it is the student’s work and ability, rather than the editor’s, that is presented for assessment.
Rates
I will assess the document and then provide you with a range of options for completing the job as
per your instructions. I am always happy to discuss how we can work within your budget after. The
following rates provide a guide:
Student (discounted) rate: $45/hour
Non-student rate: $60/hour
Experience in editing, proof-reading and verification
I have reviewed, edited and proof-read more than 20 scientific journal papers, around 13 technical
reports, four PhD theses, three Honours theses and numerous other written media (e.g. newsletters,
fact sheets, website articles) over the last seven years. This has involved undertaking structural
editing, copy-editing, and/or scientific review for a wide range of clients, including:
 university academics, consultants and government employees (e.g. Charles Sturt University,
La Trobe University, The Murray–Darling Freshwater Research Centre, Water’s Edge
Consulting, Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning, The Mallee Catchment
Management Authority);
 researchers for whom English is a second language (Oxford University Press (UK), the
Chinese Academy of Forestry, Estadual Paulista University (Brazil));
 Honours and postgraduate university students (Charles Sturt University, La Trobe University,
and Monash University); and
 international scientific journals (e.g. Biological Invasions, Journal of Plankton Research,
Hydrobiologia, Environmental Science and Pollution Research, Ecological Engineering)

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A sample of work undertaken (and my level of involvement) includes:
Rochelle Petrie. 2016. Zooplankton in Lake Elizabeth, Round Lake and Woorinen North Lake, winter
2016: identifying food resource availability for Murray hardyhead. Report prepared for the
Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning by The Murray–Darling Freshwater Research
Centre, MDFRC Publication 111/2016, May, 6pp. (copy-editing)
Scott Huntley. 2016. Monitoring of Murray hardyhead populations and potential translocation sites
in the Victorian Mallee, 2015–16. Report prepared for the Mallee Catchment Management Authority
by The Murray–Darling Freshwater Research Centre, MDFRC Publication May, 34 pp. (copy-editing)
David Wood, Paul Brown. 2016. Lateral fish movement at the Hattah Lakes icon site. Final Report
prepared for the Mallee Catchment Management Authority by The Murray–Darling Freshwater
Research Centre, MDFRC Publication 95/2016, March, 38pp. (copy-editing)
Lijian Cui, Muyuan Ma, Xufeng Mao, Manyin Zhang, Xinsheng Zhao, Wei Li, Yinru Lei, Hongye Xiao
(online book currently in preparation). Understanding wetlands. The Institute of Wetland Research,
Chinese Academy of Forestry. (structural editing)
Spatial and temporal variability of copepod assemblages in Sanya Bay, northern South China
Sea (draft manuscript currently in preparation). 2016. Oxford Language Editing. (academic
editing and review)
Xiaoying Liu. Ecological characterisation and scenario setting for Lake Cowal. 2016. Charles
Sturt University PhD thesis. (structural and copy-editing)
Jian Zhou, Hong-Li Li, Peter Alpert, Ming-Xiang Zhang, Fei-Hai Yu (draft manuscript currently
in preparation). Fragmentation of the invasive, clonal plant, Alternanthera philoxeroides,
decreases its growth but not its competitive effect. School of Nature Conservation, Beijing
Forestry University, Beijing, China. (structural editing)
Wetland buffer management guidelines. 2015. Water’s Edge Consulting and Department of
Environment, Land, Water and Planning. (structural and copy-editing)
Yinru Lei. Human migration decision-making in response to climate change. 2015. Charles
Sturt University PhD thesis. (structural and copy-editing)
Lijuan Cui, Wei Li, Xinsheng Zhao, Manyin Zhang, Yan Zhang, Changjun Gao, Yinru Lei. The
relationship between standing vegetation and the soil seed bank (draft manuscript currently
in preparation). 2015. The Institute of Wetland Research, Chinese Academy of Forestry.
(structural and copy-editing)
Teresa Mackintosh. Influences of multiple stressors on biodiversity and ecosystem function
in constructed urban wetlands. 2015. Monash University PhD thesis. (proof-reading)
Prajwal Gyawali. Connecting the dots: obesity and heart disease. 2014. Charles Sturt
University PhD thesis. (structural and copy-editing)
Further examples are available upon request.

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Experience in technical writing and content development
I have authored content for a range of media including magazines (e.g. RipRap magazine), websites
(e.g. The Moray’s Lair), organisational newsletters (e.g. Australian Society for Fish Biology),
community fact sheets (e.g. the Murray–Darling Basin Authority, Mallee Catchment Management
Authority, NSW Environmental Trust) and You Tube documentaries (The Murray–Darling Freshwater
Research Centre). A full list of these projects is available upon request.
I have also authored 14 international scientific journal papers, and more than 10 technical reports.
Scientific journal articles published
1. Nielsen, D, Cook, R, Petrie, R, Ning, N, and Gawne, B. 2015. Carbon and nutrient subsidies to
a lowland river following floodplain inundation. Marine and Freshwater Research (in press).
2. Nielsen, D, Jasper, E, Ning, N, and Lawler, S. 2015. High sediment temperatures influence
the emergence of dormant aquatic biota. Marine and Freshwater Research 66, 1138-1146.
3. Cook, R, Gawne, B, Petrie, R, Baldwin, Rees, G, D, Nielsen, D, and Ning, N. 2015. River
metabolism and carbon dynamics in response to flooding in a lowland river. Marine and Freshwater
Research 66, 919-927.
4. Ning, N, Gawne, B, Petrie, R, Nielsen, D, and Rees, G. 2015. Hypoxic blackwater events
suppress zooplankton emergence from wetland sediments. Aquatic Sciences 77, 221-230.
5. Ning, N, Cook, R, Gawne, B, Nielsen, D. 2013. Zooplankton dynamics in response to the
transition from drought to flooding in four Murray–Darling Basin rivers. Hydrobiologia 702, 45-62.
6. Watkins, S, Ning, N, Gawne, Nielsen, D. 2013. The influence of artificial drawdown on
zooplankton communities in wetlands. Hydrobiologia 701, 51-63.
7. Ning, N, Watkins, S, Gawne, Nielsen, D. 2012. Assessing the potential for using wetlands as
intermediary storages to conjunctively maintain ecological values and support agricultural demands.
Journal of Environmental Management 107, 19-27.
8. Ning, N, Hladyz, S, Gawne, B, Maffei, S, Price, A, Nielsen, D. 2012. Morphological,
physiological and behavioral response patterns of carp gudgeon (Hypseleotris spp.) to food
deprivation: implications for assessing health. Journal of Fish Biology 80, 218 - 224.
9. Ning, N, Nielsen, D, Baldwin, D. 2011. Assessing the potential for biotic communities to
recolonise freshwater wetlands impacted by the presence of sulfidic sediments. Freshwater Biology,
56, 2299-2315.
10. Ning, N and Nielsen, D. 2011. Community structure and composition of microfaunal egg
bank assemblages in riverine and floodplain sediments. Hydrobiologia, 661, 211 – 221.
11. Ning, N, Nielsen, D, Hillman, T, and Suter, P. 2010. The influence of planktivorous fish on
zooplankton resting-stage communities in riverine slackwater regions. Journal of Plankton Research,
32, 411 - 421.
12. Ning, N, Nielsen, D, Hillman, T, and Suter, P. 2010. The influence of planktivorous fish on
zooplankton communities in riverine slackwaters. Freshwater Biology 55, 360 - 374.
13. Ning, N, Nielsen, D, Paul, W, Hillman, T, and Suter, P. 2010. Microinvertebrate dynamics in
riverine slackwater and mid-channel habitats in relation to physico-chemical parameters and food
availability. River Research and Applications 26, 279 – 296.
14. Ning, N, Nielsen, D, Hillman, T, and Suter, P. 2008. Evaluation of a new technique for
characterising resting stage zooplankton communities in riverine slackwater habitats and floodplain
wetlands. Journal of Plankton Research 30: 415 – 422.
Key technical reports
Ning N, Stratford D, Nielsen D, Baldwin D, Brown P, Davis, J, McGinness H (2015) A review of climate
refuge science and its application in the Murray–Darling Basin. Final Report prepared for the Murray–
Darling Basin Authority by The Murray–Darling Freshwater Research Centre, MDFRC Publication
75/2015, June, 72pp.

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Ning N, Linklater D, Baldwin D, Baumgartner L (2014) Assessing the risk of hypoxic blackwater
generation at proposed SDL offset project sites on the lower River Murray floodplain. Final Report
prepared for Mallee Catchment Management Authority by The Murray–Darling Freshwater Research
Centre, MDFRC Publication 37/2014, September, 38pp.
MDFRC and CSIRO (2014) The role of hydrological and riparian connectivity in maintaining biodiversity
of river-floodplain ecosystems. Final Report prepared for Department of Environment’s National
Environmental Research Program by The Murray–Darling Freshwater Research Centre, MDFRC
Publication 38/2014, April, 245pp.
Gawne B, Butcher R, Durant R, Ellis I, Henderson M, Ning N, Campbell C and Hawking J (2013) IECA
Proof of Concept Trial – Technical report. Final Report prepared for Department of Sustainability,
Environment, Water, Population and Communities by The Murray–Darling Freshwater Research
Centre, MDFRC Publication 27/2013, June, 171pp.
Research by The Murray–Darling Freshwater Research Centre (MDFRC) including improving the
efficient use of environmental flows. Final report prepared for Department of Sustainability,
Environment, Water, Population and Communities by The Murray–Darling Freshwater Research
Centre, MDFRC Publication 6/2013, May 2013, 91pp.
Ning, N, Cook, R, Gawne, B, Nielsen, D, Petrie, R. Impacts of the 2010/11 and 2011/12 flooding events
on the structure and function of Murray–Darling Basin rivers (2012). Final Report prepared for the
Murray–Darling Basin Authority by The Murray–Darling Freshwater Research Centre.
Cook, R, Ning, N, Gawne, B, Nielsen, D, Vilizzi, L. Changes to the structure and function of Murray–
Darling Basin rivers in response to the transition from drought (2012). Final Report prepared for the
Murray–Darling Basin Authority and Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Populations and
Communities by The Murray–Darling Freshwater Research Centre.
Western, A, Adams, R, Costelloe, J, Dassanayake, Farquharson, B, Ramilan, T, Foo, M, Gawne, B, Minard,
A, Moreau, A, Nielsen, D, Ning, N, Ooi, S, Sammonds, M, Sites, G, Stewardson, M, Vietz, G, Watkins, S,
Weyer, E. Milestone 7 – Modern River Operating Systems (2011). National Water Commission Report,
November, 2011.
Beesley L, Price A, King A, Gawne B, Nielsen D, Koehn J, Meredith S, Vilizzi L, Ning N, Hladyz S. Watering
floodplain wetlands in the Murray–Darling Basin to benefit native fish (2011). National Water
Commission Waterlines Report, September, 2011.
Western, A, Gawne, B, Bond, N, Costelloe, J, Dassanayake, Farquharson, B, George, B, MacNally, R,
Nielsen, D, Ning, N, Ramilan, T, Sammonds, M, Shenton, W, Stewardson, M, Vietz, G. Milestone 6 –
Discussion Paper: Rivers, Groundwater and Environmental Targets (2011). National Water Commission
Report, March, 2011.
Ning, N, Nielsen, D and Baldwin, D. The influence of sulfidic sediments on the zooplankton and aquatic
plant communities emerging from wetland seed banks in inland NSW (2011). Final Report prepared for
NSW Environmental Trust by The Murray–Darling Freshwater Research Centre.
Further reports are available upon request.

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Professional development and general editing and technical writing skills
Technical writing (CSIRO workshop 2009) · Data analysis (SPSS, Primer, Permanova, SigmaStat) ·
Microsoft Word · Microsoft Excel · Microsoft PowerPoint · Endnote
Employment & academic history
2015–current: Principal technical writer and editor for Fox Writing Services; and freelance academic
editor for Oxford University Press
2008–2015: La Trobe University postdoctoral research scientist with The Murray–Darling Freshwater
Research Centre
2005–2008: La Trobe University/CSIRO funded PhD student (freshwater science)
Academic awards
 The Murray–Darling Freshwater Research Centre early career researcher award for scientific
publishing (2009, 2010, 2012)
 American Society for Limnology and Oceanography Summer Meeting travel award (2008)
 Australian Postgraduate Award PhD scholarship (2005)
 CSIRO Water for a Healthy Country PhD top-up scholarship (2005)
 Deans Medal for academic excellence (Faculty Science, Technology and Engineering, La
Trobe University) (2005)
Referees
1. Dr Gavin Rees, Assistant Director/Senior Research Scientist, The Murray–Darling Freshwater
Research Centre, P.O. Box 991, Wodonga, Vic 3689 (Tel: 02 6024 9670; email:
gavin.rees@latrobe.edu.au).
2. Dr Lee Baumgartner, Senior Research Fellow, Institute for Land, Water and Society, Charles
Sturt University, Albury, NSW 2640 (Tel: 02 6051 9850; email: lbaumgartner@csu.edu.au).
3. Sandra Boyd, Assistive Technology Officer, Office for Students, Charles Sturt University,
Albury, NSW 2640 (Tel: 02 6051 9942; email: saboyd@csu.edu.au).
Further referees available upon request.